


The Stars Don't Shine As Bright

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Awesome Michelle Jones, BAMF Michelle Jones, Gen, Grief/Mourning, High School, Honor, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Michelle Jones is a Little Shit, Murals, Painting, Peter Parker Has Issues, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Peter Parker is a Mess, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Protective Michelle Jones, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, law breaking, legacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 13:36:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18895672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: Peter catches Michelle breaking the law, but he decides to let her go.***(Michelle paints the mural seen in the Far From Home trailer.)





	The Stars Don't Shine As Bright

Peter wished that the light pollution was minimal enough that he could see the stars tonight. Queens had been fairly peaceful that night. Only two muggings, one girl who he had walked to her car from the library, and a jaywalking by the girl he walked to her car. He decided to pack Spiderman in early. Ten thirty at night and still no stars, he mused. He was being spoiled by the lake house, with its constellations on cloudless nights. Morgan loved to learn each new myth connected to the patterns in the night sky. Peter had taken to researching the constellations of other cultures, afraid of running out of tales for Morgan. 

In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but equating the stars to something else that was missing in the air. The whine of repulsors and a bad pun.

Peter swung between buildings, darting home, when his sensitive hearing picked up the hiss of a spray paint can two blocks east. He pivoted around a corner high rise and headed to the graffiti artist. He landed, a little louder than he had hoped, behind the perpetrator. 

The girl had her hair tucked into a black beanie, with a gas mask tied in the back, and was wearing a vaguely familiar bomber jacket. There was a specialized belt slung across her shoulders with different paint cans holstered in. Mostly red, black, and yellow. She held a gray can in her right hand, outlining the structure carefully, not stopping even after she had clearly heard him land. Unlike most other artists, she wasn't in any sort of hurry, completely in control of her movements. 

He straightened slowly. "Street art is illegal in New York." The girl continued to paint. "I won't report anything if you stop now." 

The girl hummed. "Hey, Spidey." 

"Mi- Michelle?" 

"MJ, loser," she corrected. MJ took the mask off, hanging it around her neck as she faced Peter. 

Peter scratched at the back of his neck. "Hey... what- what are you painting? I thought you hated graffiti." 

"I hate graffiti that thinks it has something profound to say. Mine isn't going to be that. It's a reminder." 

"Of what?" 

MJ raised an eyebrow. "You can't tell?" She gestured to the silver outline above her, stepping back to be next to Peter. He took his mask off, holding it in his hands as he studied the drying paint. It was a man, reaching out. But the circle in the center of his hand gave it away. Ironman would soar through the night sky once more. 

Peter took a step back. 

"Careful," MJ warned, kicking the edge of the roof. Peter nodded numbly. He approached the wall. 

"I thought you hated Ironman," he whispered, reaching to press his own hand against the repulsor. 

"Not Ironman necessarily. Tony Stark, maybe. Tony Stark from before Ironman, definitely." Peter removed his hand, his fingers stained in silver paint.  _ The suit is machine washable,  _ he thought numbly. He faced Michelle as she continued. "But he's... He's something else now. Something to be remembered. To be honored. The Tony Stark that died-" Peter flinched. "-I respect him." 

Peter stared at her. Then he turned back to the outline. "So you're breaking the law in his name?" 

"Would he want it any other way?" MJ countered. 

"I guess not." 

MJ shook a can of red paint. "Help me honor him?" 

Peter shook his head. "I'll honor Tony by not stopping you. And by..." He motioned out to the New York streets. Peter looked to the sky. A couple of stray stars cut through the light of the city. He smiled. 

"Bye, MJ." He pulled his mask back down, streaking silver paint on the front, glancing one last time at the proto-mural before swinging back into the darkening streets. He slept well that night, one of the first without dreams. In the morning, he left his apartment early, passing by MJ's now completed mural. When he saw her at lunch, he thanked her. 

"For what?" 

"Bringing back the stars."

**Author's Note:**

> [Here](https://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/spiderman-farfromhome-trailer-ironmanmural.jpg) is the mural


End file.
